Magical Snapshots
by Lanari
Summary: Snapshots of the life of Leridia Surana as she goes through the blight. What will she see, what will she change? And what will stay the same? I own nothing in here, but I'm too lazy to write it on ever chapter.
1. Chapter 1

Leridia smiled, the fuzziness of the fade tickling the edges of her vision while she turned from the crumbling body of the Rage Demon she had just killed.

"You did it! I never actually thought any of you were worthy but, I can't believe you did it!" The male mage exclaimed. Mouse was ecstatic beside her, but the mage simple smiled at him, grasping her hand in his.

"He…was not my test was he?" She inquired bluntly. He blinked at her, stuttering on his breath before smiling widely to hide his frown. Leridia continued to smile gently, swinging their joined hands back and forth while watching them quietly.

"You are the demon I was sent here for. I must thank you, for being my friend. I have precious few." Mouse stared at her for a moment before chuckling darkly, his voice turning deep and gravely. His body began to glow and he gained mass, becoming a monster before her very eyes. But still the mage did not flinch away, staring at her hand wrapped around one of the giant purple fingers.

"Be wary mageling, true tests? They never end." He paused before bowing his great head and looked her in the eye. "I am glad to have met you, Mageling Leridia. I will see you again…friend." As he left her, Leridia shed a quiet tear, mourning her friend who she felt she would never see again. Then she opened her eyes and looked at the bunk above her, quietly crying before her friend Jowan came. But Leridia knew. She had always known.


	2. Conner

"DON'T KILL MY BABY! PLEASE I BEG OF YOU!" Alistair watched Leridia with wary glances as the mage stared down at the woman prostrating herself before them, holding the comatose demon-child. Leridia had called for his death, he was an abomination. The Arlessa had put them all in danger, but Leridia refused to take the woman from her husband as well as his only child. She placed a hand on the woman's head gently, sending her to sleep as she turned to the boy and sighed.

"Good night, Conner." She sent a strong burst of magic into his body, willing his heart to stop beating, his mind to stop moving. He died instantly, his pained whimpers ceasing. A stone made its home in her heart as she kissed the child's forehead and laid him down to wait for Bann Tegan to find them.

Later that night Alistair stomped up to her angrily, his heart troubled. Lerida turned her calm green eyes to him, hiding the turmoil in her own heart from him as he raved at her. Finally, he called her a coward, a monster. The usually calm mage grew angry. How DARE he stand there and call her a monster! She had done everything in her power to make sure the Arl had something left to hold on to! Leridia shoved her face close to his and snarled at him, causing Alistair to jerk back and go for his sword. She slapped his hand away from it.

"How DARE you call me a monster, Alistair. You, who wished to be a Templar. You, who fear me for my magic. You have NO IDEA!" She raged. The grey warden stared at her in shock, but Leridia could not stop the tears falling down her cheeks any more then she could heal the hole in her heart. "THEY TOOK ME; stole me away from my husband because of my magic. If I had killed the arlessa and left the Arl with only his son, they would have taken him too! Then he would have no heir, no wife, and no way to continue his line!"

She turned from him, hair a wild mess around her face now, pained sobs wracking her body as she fell to her knees, clutching at her chest as the anguish began again. Alistair stared down at her in distress, reaching a hand forward to try and comfort her. In the weeks he had known the gentle elf mage he had never seen her in any mood other then kind and smiling.

"I couldn't do that to another family! I couldn't leave another alone to suffer the loss as my husband had to." Leridia exclaimed in a choked voice. The red haired elf crumpled on herself, hiding her face in her hands. Alistair felt his heart go out to her, and he also felt like an ass for what he said to her. Leridia had simply been thinking about what had been the best option for the Arl. The elder Grey Warden knelt and pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her head as her sobs shook both their bodies.

"I am sorry, Leridia. I didn't mean to call you a monster, I was just so angry." Eventually the sobs turned to hiccupping whimpers, then into sniffles that trailed off. She had fallen asleep against him, her face a mask of pain and despair. Alistair felt a hand around his heart that he had put that look on her after all she had done for him. Gently, he put her to bed, trying to ignore the hateful glare of the witch Morrigan. She had taken a strange liking to the little Mageling. He too…had grown to like her. He smiled and moved a braid off of her face then went to his own cot and lay down.

The next day it was if nothing happened. Morrigan had expressed concern for their Leader but she had simply smiled that strange smile and given the elder woman a hug in a fit of childishness.

"I am alright, Morrigan. Come, we have a Blight to stop!"


	3. Joining

Alistair remembers her Joining the most. Her reaction had been the most…amusing that he had ever seen. After she had come to and jerked her head away from their looming forms she pulled a face and licked her lips.

"How do you feel?" He remembered Duncan asking, genuinely curious. Leridia had squinted at them in suspicion before frowning.

"Like I drank an entire wine store, then vomited up a putrid dead something or other. My mouth tastes like ass, may I have some water?" Duncan had chuckled, surprised, before handing her a canteen of water to sip from. Leridia had simply smiled at him, ignoring the blood staining her hair from where Ser Jory had lain before hauling herself to her feet. The blonde had watched her in awe of her calm mind. He had no idea what was to come.


	4. Birds and the Bees

She was watching him again, curiosity written all over her innocent face and wide green eyes. Alistair stared back, questioning. Leridia smiled more, playful and bright.

"Soooo, you were raised in a Chantry right? That means you've never…" Alistair felt his mind panic even as his mouth ran away from it.

"Never what had a good pair of shoes?" A catty smile crossed the pale face of the mage, and suddenly the smitten Warden felt fear creep down his spine. He had never seen anything other than a soft look on that face, along with various bouts of pitying looks and guarded smiles. Leridia giggled, using one sleeve to hide it. It was a cute, girlish sound. One that didn't fit the demon-ess the woman could be in battle.

"No, Alistair; Never had sex. You've never had sex?" The mage bluntly inquired. Alistair's brain stuttered to a stop, as did his mouth.

"Buh-wuh- I….I must admit I…never have had beautiful women say that to my face." He sputtered around his thoughts. Leridia smiled wider, glee twinkling in her eyes. How strange that it had become second nature to seek the underlying emotions behind her mask like smiles.

"Aw, you think I'm beautiful?" She whispered, shyly looking up at him through her eyelashes. Alistair felt himself panic.

"Yes, beautiful, resourceful, and a million other things you would hit me for not mentioning." Suddenly the playful smile dropped from her face, and she gazed at him with such profound sadness that he felt as if someone had kicked him in the gut. Those green eyes clouded over before they turned from him, gazing at the ground.

"I would never hurt you, Alistair." The templar Grey Warden felt his heart soften to her and he smiled; heart full of love for her.

"I wouldn't hurt you either, little mageling." Leridia chuckled wetly, turning teary eyes to him.

"Someday, I will find out how you know His nickname for me." Alistair felt the blood freeze in his veins.

"His?" Leridia nodded and stared up at the tower she had lived in for so long…then had left and returned to again without a husband.

"My first and only friend when I lived in the Tower. He called himself Mouse; I met him during my Harrowing." Alistair frowned; the Harrowing took place in the Fade. How could she have met her friend there?

"What happened to him?" The red haired mage laughed, a fond smile making its way to her lips.

"I suspect he is still there, watching me; waiting for me to slip up. Then, he will devour me; mind, body, and soul. Pride demons are sore losers." Alistair felt a wave of anger overcome him and he reached out to hug her tightly, as if wishing to shield her from this…Mouse with his body.

"I won't let him have you. I won't let you become an abomination." Leridia smiled into his chest and Alistair reveled in the feel of her in his arms.

"Oh Alistair… He will not have me for many, many years to come. Should I slip, I wish for you to be the one to kill me." He squeezed her tight, remembering he was also a Templar…it was his duty.

"I…I will think about it. I will save you."


	5. Teasing

Wynne was teasing him again, while they were in Orsamarre no less! He had finally gotten the courage to ask Leridia into his bedroll after declaring his love to her and she had accepted. The blasted Enchanter had been smirking at him all morning so he finally confronted her.

"Now that you and our fearless leader have had a physical relationship, I suppose it's time you learned where babies come from." In front of them, Leridia was facing down dwarfs in the Proving and Alistair was attached to the railing like glue, worry coursing through him whenever they landed a hit on her. He finally registered what Wynne had said and jerked in surprise.

"What are you talking about, you crazy old bat?" Wynne laughed, watching him fuss when one of the fighters knocked the young mage warden down. How he was so oblivious to the rest of the party looking on in amusement was adorable. His infatuation was obvious to all.

"I know the Chantry tells you babies are plucked from the Fade and laid in your arms but, what really happens is when a man and a woman love each other very much they-" Alistair felt his eyes bug out of his skull when he registered what she was going on about. He swore violently and waved his hands in a half hearted attempt to ward off her words.

"Makers flaming SWORD- I know where babies come from, you old nut! At least I hope I do!" He exclaimed. Wynne's witty remark was cut off when a bloodied and bruised Lerida stumbled through the door after winning and proceeded to collapse into Alistair's arms. Her half finished battle healing spell had barely done anything to close her wounds and soon the Warden's armor was spotted with her blood. All was set aside as they quickly left to find their rooms and bandage her up.

"Hang in there, Leri!" Leridia just groaned.

"I hurt…in places I did not even know existed. Shush is now. Loudness is later." Alistair laughed and kissed her knuckles.

"Well, you have enough life in you to joke. You'll be fine."


	6. Night Terrors

Sometimes he forgot how innocent she was. Alistair knew the Circle Mages were sheltered but this…this was the icing on the cake. But as Leridia stared up at him with teary eyes after a night terror, he didn't dare refuse her request.

"Can I…have a hug, Alistair? I've never had a hug before I met you." He sputtered. He stuttered. He did everything in his arsenal to try and convey to this tiny, frail mage how ridiculous that was. But in the end, Alistair gave her a hug. The blood haired elf smiled happily, making a content noise into his chest before she buried her nose in his shirt. He sighed.

"Didn't your husband hug you…?" The word was bitter in his mouth but she shook her head against his chest, fingers digging into his back.

"No…Fillipe was a good man. But no…he barely touched me. He was a noble…and they are not so touchy feely. I was an elf and a mage, he may have loved me but he had other things to worry about." He smirked and held her closer. Alistair was better than the man she had before. With him, she would never want for affection. It made him puff up a little in pride to know that Leridia came to HIM for affection and not that other elf. That she loved HIM and not Zevron with his honeyed words and honeyed hair. Finally, after he had held her by the fire until her shaking had stopped, he dared to ask.

"What was your dream about…? Was it the arch demon?"He whispered into her pointed ear. Leridia tensed up and buried her face in shirt again, her fingers becoming vices on his shoulders. Alistair could feel he was going to have marks from her nails later, but pushed that thought aside as her shaking resumed. She mumbled something into his neck that he didn't catch and he squeezed her a little. "Beg pardon?"

"I said; I dreamed that I died…and you were sad." Alistair felt his heart freeze up at that whimpered sentence. She had dreamed of her own death? No, no he would not allow it. He didn't know what was going to happen when they gathered all the people into the army they needed but, he would damn himself a thousand times over before he let her die. Gently, the ex Templar stroked the backs of his fingers down his little mage's cheek, holding her close to his heart. Leridia trembled before she looked up at him, eyes full of tears.

"If I die…please don't be sad. I don't want you to be sad over someone like me." Alistair could feel tears coming to his own eyes as he stroked hers away with his thumb. He LOVED her, how could she ask him to not be sad if she died? That would be like asking the sun to extinguish itself.

"I can't make that promise, Leri. I love you too much to ever not mourn for you." They sat there the rest of the night, holding each other and basking in the love they shared; the love that bound them even beyond death.


	7. Falling

They were over. He was king, and they were over. He had taken her heart into his hands and shattered it upon his knee because the Lords wouldn't want an elven queen. Alistair could see the wound on her like it was carved into his own body. He could hear the shattered pieces of her heart grinding against each other. Even as Morrigan glared at him, even as Leridia stared at the floor despondently as they packed up…he knew that he could not change that fact that he was king. Soon, they were fighting the archdemon, and as it fell with ballista rounds stuck from its body like a pincushion he shot a look over at her.

Leridia's eyes were dead as she stepped up beside him and looked at the downed demon. She hefted her sword and looked at him coldly with those knowing green eyes. Alistair felt his heart skip a beat when he knew what was going through her head.

"No, Leri. I won't let you sacrifice yourself. I'm the king; it's my duty." Leridia gave him a heartbroken smile and reached up to stroke a hand over his cheek. He could feel his heart squeezing in his chest as he pulled her close for a kiss. What he didn't expect was for her to whisper a spell against his lips that locked his body in place. He felt his heart hammering against his ribs as the woman he loved picked up his sword and hefted it. Leridia grinned and gave him one last lingering kiss.

"Alistair, I knew this would be how I would die since I became a Grey Warden. I've always known, because I saw it." He could feel tears gathering at the edges of his eyes as she turned away from him to face the arch demon. Leridia lifted the blade and sighed, channeling her magic inward for one last time.

"Alistair…I want you to know I love you. You are my chosen mate; by rejecting me you have destroyed me. I will give my life for yours so you may be King, because I love you." With a roar of battle Leridia charged past Wynne and Sten, bringing the sword down into the archdemons head. It flailed, as it died but she held on with all her strength. Alistair was then blinded as light burst from the archdemon, but when it faded Leridia was left crumpled by the demons body. Alistair broke free of her spell as she died, running to kneel by her body. He clenched his jaw as he lifted her into his arms, cradling her lovingly to his chest. Leridia was still warm, but her body was limp in death. Alistair ran his fingers over her face gently, trying to memorize her. He choked on a sob in his chest.

"Leri…what a fool I was. How could I…how could I let you die?" He clutched her to his chest desperately, a keening whine starting in his chest before he threw his head back to scream at the sky in despair. The woman he loved…was dead. Now, he had to face the world alone. "WHY DIDDN'T YOU LET ME DO IT?!"


	8. Demons

Three years later, Alistair was walking through the Alianage in Denerim. He had made life better for the elves in his kingdom to make sure Her sacrifice was never forgotten. But the elves had been complaining of a demon haunting one of the old buildings, so he had come to clear it out. As he walked into the building, it looked like the Circle of Magi all over again; fleshy sacks hanging from the walls and ceiling with slime and tissue on the floor. He came to the main room and found a young mage standing before a fleshy sack that could have held two full grown quinari in it. The man turned mousy brown eyes to him and smirked, his voice gravelly and familiar; A demon.

"I was wondering when you would find me. You know, I thought you would have caught me after I raided Her tomb and stole her away. It seems you cared less about her then I." Alistair felt his blood heat up in anger. THIS was the person who had stolen his beloved's remains? He placed a hand on the sword at his side, eyes narrowing.

"What have you done with Leridia's remains? Why are you here, who are you?" He demanded. The man smiled and turned fully to face him, placing one gentle hand on the flesh sack.

"She called me Mouse. I didn't do anything; she waited for you. For so long, she faded into despair. She became mine; mind, body and soul. She became a demon, the first benevolent demon ever. She became a Despair Demon. Soon she will wander, looking for lost souls to comfort then devour. Oh how she fights, she isn't quite there yet, she cannot be a demon when she resists… " Alistair drew his sword quick as lightning and impaled the demon through the chest, enjoying its screams as it died. He turned to the fleshy sack and narrowed his eyes. Alistair could see something moving in there. Using the dagger She had left behind the King made a long slit in the fleshy sack, wrinkling his nose as a sweet smelling liquid poured out, depositing a body on the floor.

Pale skin, thin short legs, blood colored hair. It was Her, Leridia. The demon had brought her back! Parts of her body were covered in strange purple colored scales. He knelt in the sweet smelling liquid and traced his fingers over her face. It was the same, exactly as he remembered. She stirred, opening up eyes that were green with violet whites and white pupils.

"Leri…you came back to me." She blinked at him a few times before tears slipped down her cheeks silently. Alistair pulled her to his chest and curled around her as if to protect her. She was his Leridia, and he would protect her this time.

"Alistair…? I had…given up hope. How did you find me?" He smiled and stroked her hair back from her face, feeling the patch of scales around her eyes. She was watching him, mouth full of needle sharp teeth and full lips. Not a demon, but not an elf. Something completely different, He could feel her Taint…so much like before. Alistair smiled and kissed her forehead. She was still his Leridia.

"I will never leave you alone again, Leri. I will never let another demon have you, because I love you." She smiled and buried her face in his shirt happily, purring in her chest like a lizard. He was too busy holding her to notice the wide smile cross Leridia face. She had his love again, and she was never giving it up again. She would destroy any who got between her and Alistair…starting with Arl Eamon. She nuzzled her mate and smirked to herself. Oh, yes. He would PAY for making Alistair throw her love away. She didn't blame her dear Ali, she knew how easily he was manipulated. No one would use him again, ever. Leridia wondered if Anora was still alive, bitch was going to pay for throwing her in prison. Mouse had gotten it right that she would be a Despair demon, the first benevolent demon in existence. But she had also absorbed the taint of the Archdemon. Now she was also part dragon.

And you never wake a sleeping dragon. Or take it's kin from them.


End file.
